Incorporating gate control over a resonant tunneling structure in cmos to reduce off-state current leakage, supply voltage and power consumption

Abstract

A semiconductor device and method for fabricating a semiconductor device incorporating gate control over a resonant tunneling structure. The semiconductor device includes a source terminal, a gate terminal, a drain terminal, and a resonant tunneling structure located beneath or adjacent to the gate terminal, where the gate terminal controls an electrostatic potential drop through the resonant tunneling structure as well as controlling a potential within a portion of the conduction channel immediately beneath the gate terminal as in a MOSFET. The semiconductor device is fabricated by growing epitaxial layers of tunnel barriers and quantum wells, where a quantum well is formed between each set of two tunneling barriers. Additionally, the epitaxial layers of tunnel barriers and quantum wells are grown, etched and patterned to form a resonant tunneling structure. Further, the semiconductor device is grown, etched and patterned to form a gate, source and drain electrode.